According to the agency, it is a public law authority enjoying "absolute independence from the Public Administration", responsible for the following actions:

After that time all protection would cease and the province would be considered to be in a state of perfect and absolute independence.

Sakdal voiced its opposition to the law, demanding that the Philippines be given "complete and absolute independence" on or before December 31, 1935.

After long drawn negotiations, the two parties merged on March 12, 1906 to pursue "immediate, absolute and complete independence."

Maturity, however, is not to be simplistically equated with absolute independence although it includes that capacity.

"They wanted to maintain absolute independence," Mr. Nelson said.

Grass-roots political organizations founded last year to demand that Estonia run its own affairs have quickly become mass movements with a yearning for absolute independence.

And a much smaller third party - their color is green - wants absolute independence for the island.

With the absolute independence he was known for, he said, "No thank you.

Lyons dismissed the allegations, pledging "absolute independence and impartiality".